As a prominent beachfront resort, Cascais offers lots of simple kiosks selling sunglasses and beachwear. The region's densest concentration of stores catering to united Europe's definition of the good life is nearby. The sprawling shopping center Shopping Cascais, Estrada Nacional 9, Estrada de Sintra (tel. 21/012-16-28 for information), is beside Highway 5A, the road between Cascais and Sintra. (Some locals refer to it as the Shopping Center of Cascais.) It contains two floors and more than 100 boutiques, with special emphasis on housewares, home furnishings and accessories, and clothing.
Tear Linhos, Rua da Saudade 6 (tel. 21/484-43-36), is our favorite emporium for hand-embroideries in all of Cascais, with a selection of sheets, tableware, and women's nightgowns. The owners also believe that a well-dressed child is a well-behaved child; as a consequence, the store carries some of the most charming children's clothes in Cascais.
If you're in the mood for more folkloric, less overtly commercial settings, you might want to ignore the megamall. Wander instead through the warren of small ceramics shops that surround Cascais's church, or walk along the town's most commercialized street, Rua da Raita, an all-pedestrian walkway in the town center.
The most intriguing shopping possibilities are at the markets. Head north of the center along Rua Mercado, off Avenida do 25 de Abril, on Wednesday or Saturday morning, and you'll find a fruit and vegetable market (along with a lot of other items). Another sprawling market operates at the bullring, Praça de Touros, on Avenida Pedro Álvares, west of the center, on the first and third Sunday of each month.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.
